Portable computers are compact, lightweight computing devices and may comprise any portable electronic device, for example, notebook computers, personal digital assistants, tablet personal computers, and laptop computers. Although designed for portability and mobile uses, many people use portable computers in desktop environments. The use of portable computers in desktop environments has always created challenges with ergonomics and ease of use. Many of the features that make portable computers useful mobile tools, such as compact size and integrated components, can be limitations when used in a desktop environment.
Portable computer docking stations have been developed to ease the use of a portable computer in a desktop environment. Many of these docking stations provide interfaces with peripheral equipment, for example, input devices, networks, printers, and additional display devices, that allows the portable computer to be more easily used as a desktop system. Certain pieces of peripheral equipment, such as additional displays and input devices, enable more ergonomic use of a portable computer but are redundant to components integral to the portable computer. These redundant components not only increase hardware investment but also often occupy a large amount of desktop space.